Tag Archives: nature

Hector’s Run Falls is located in the Allegheny National Forest, between Route 6 in Ludlow and Route 948 in Barnes. The best access is via Route 6.WARNING: There are steep cliffs at the falls, and cell phone service drops off about half-way into the hike. Wear footwear with good tread, and be careful when hiking near the edge.

From Sheffield, take Route 6 to Ludlow.
Turn right onto South Hillside Drive, just as you come into Ludlow.
Turn left onto Water Street.
Turn right onto Scenic Drive.
After about a mile, you will turn right onto Forestry Road 258.
In 2.1 miles, you will reach Forestry Road 258H, on your left, which is gated off. There is a small parking area beside the gate.

This is where your hike begins. Hector’s Run Falls are approximately 1 mile from the gate.
Follow 258H to the fork in the road and take the left fork (downhill.) You will come to a small meadow, with a light blue National Fuel well-head. The trail turns to the right, as you’re facing the well-head.
Continue to follow the trail for another 200 yards, or so, and you will arrive at the top of the falls.

Please note that this was our first trip to the falls, and we did not take the left fork of the road, and ended up coming through the forest, following the sound of the water. So, the video begins as we arrive at the side of the falls. The falls usually only have water running over them after a recent rain. Be sure to plan your hike accordingly.

This downloadable calendar provides easy reference to Pennsylvania’s 2014-2015 hunting & trapping seasons. Add it to your iPhone, Outlook or Google Calendar. It is a brief summary of dates and should be used in conjunction with the 2014-2015 PA Hunting & Trapping Digest.

Find a place to sight in your firearm or bow in preparation for hunting season. Each range has specific rules or regulations, so please consult range attendants or rules prior to shooting. Includes information on rifle, archery, shotgun and other ranges.

PGC Mapping CenterCreate customized maps with this resource which allows users to search, discover and print State Game Lands maps with features including aerial photographs, topographic base maps, Wildlife Management Units and more. Watch tutorial videos to learn more about this tool.

This digital version of the 2014-15 Digest can be viewed on a variety of devices and bookmarked for quick access to PA hunting and trapping information. Includes a search feature, a clickable contents page and the ability to zoom, save, share and print.

Come and join us August 22nd, 23rd and 24th for the 2014 Kinzua Heritage Arts & Music Festival, this is our 9th year of striving to keep the past alive.

The Kinzua Heritage Festival is three days of history and fun tucked into a beautiful hillside on Fox Hill Road in Russell, PA.

At the main stage, you can relax under a large tent and listen to sounds of Native American, traditional country, folk, and bluegrass music.

Be sure to stop at the birch beer booth and enjoy a glass.
Watch and join the dancers as they perform traditional dances throughout the day.

Bid on items at the auctions Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm help raise money for local charity.

Native American and traditional artisans display their crafts and skills throughout the grounds. Artisans at the festival have showcased everything from glass blowing to metalwork, leather crafts to hand spun yarns, candle dipping to longbow making.

Follow the paths through the woods and visit with the craft people and demonstrators on your way to the hand constructed longhouse, but watch out for the Civil War reenactors roaming the woods.

At the rear stage tucked into the trees, you can relax while listen to storytelling or acoustic music, watching the children play games, sit with friends and enjoy the forest.

Saturday children at the festival will enjoy the games and some hands on craft projects that they can make and take home.

The summer may be winding down, but you can still cool off at Chapman Lake for a week. The beach at Chapman State Park will remain open for swimming through Sunday, September 7, 2013. Swimming hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. Chapman’s beach operates under the open swim policy, no life guards are on duty. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Parents, please watch your children. The concession, operated by BEI, will be open through Labor Day, Monday, September 1. In addition to food and snacks the concession offers canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals on a daily basis.

For more information, please contact the park office at (814) 723- 0250.

Fall Festival Weekend – October 3 – 4, 2014 – Join us for a fun filled weekend as we celebrate the fall festival of leaves.

The fourth annual Fall Festival will be held at Chapman State Park October 3 -4 with activities for all ages. The festival will kick off Friday night with “Geo-Caching at Night.” Participants are asked to meet at the Amphitheater at 7:00 pm and to bring a flashlight. A limited supply of GPS units will be available for use during the program.

Activities will be held from 12:00 – 4:00 pm on Saturday at the beach and Pavilion #2. This year we are welcoming several new additions to the festival. They include “Drop Spindle Basics”, “My Wee Rv”, “Astronomy”, “Bird Watching”, “Primitive Fire”, “Friends of Allegheny Wilderness” and “PA Firefly Festival Partnership.” Canoes and kayaks will be available to try out in the lake. All boats will be located on the beach. The Jammers, a group of local musicians, will be playing acoustic, traditional folk music in Pavilion 2. Master Blacksmith, Leon Briggs, will be demonstrating the art of blacksmithing with items on hand for purchase.

Favorites from last year will also be returning. Apple cider, Dutch oven, homemade ice cream and garbage can corn demonstrations with samples available. The Warren County Conservation District will be presenting “Macros of Chapman” at the Beach. Be prepared to get your feet wet as you search for life in the lake. The Bureau of Forestry will be conducting a “Leaf Printing” program. Learn about fall leaves and then make a leaf print to take home. Stop by the lumbering demonstration to learn about the history in this area.

A “Chapman Information” table will be available from 12:00 – 4:00 pm. A list of all activities for the festival, will be available along with Winterfest, hiking and camping information. Stop by and chat with the campground hosts as they will be able to answer all kinds of questions.

The concession will be open from 12-4 pm. The boy scouts will be selling food and drinks.

The fall festival will conclude with a “Night Sky Watch” presented by Tom Traub, Project Director for the Martz Observatory. We’ll be trying out the park’s telescope to discover where and when to look for meteor showers, planets and deep sky objects. If you have a telescope gathering dust, bring it out and get some tips on using it from an expert. The program begins at 6:30 pm at the Beach. Please bring a chair or blanket and a flashlight.

Saturday, October 11, 2014Explore Chapman State Park by Canoe and Kayak – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Enjoy the fall leaves by boat during the last canoe/kayak program of the season. Meet at the Beach Concession Stand for a short lesson on basic boating safety and then take a canoe/kayak tour on the lake and creek. Pre-Registration is required as canoes and kayaks are limited. You may bring your own canoe or kayak but you must still register. Registrations can be made by calling the park office at 814-723-0250 by Friday, October 10, 2014.

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s annual Elk License Drawing will be held at the Elk County Visitor’s Center this summer, according to Senator Joe Scarnati (R-25).

The 2014 drawing will take place at the Elk County Visitor’s Center on Saturday, August 16, 2014, in conjunction with the Keystone Elk Country Alliance Elk Festival.

“I am very pleased that the Game Commission has followed my recommendation and decided that the Elk License Drawing will take place in Elk County this year,” Scarnati said. “Year after year, Pennsylvania residents and visitors from out-of-state, come to the northwestern region of our Commonwealth to see the impressive herds of elk and other wildlife. Holding the Elk License Drawing during the Keystone Elk Country Alliance Elk Festival will encourage a larger number of people to visit the region to experience the Festival, while also spurring greater economic development for this rural portion of our state.”

Scarnati explained that last December he introduced an Amendment to Senate Bill 1190 to legislate that the annual license drawing be a part of the Keystone Elk Country Alliance Elk Festival. The drawing is administered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and has been held at the Game Commission offices in Harrisburg in previous years.

“Holding the Elk License Drawing at a convenient place and during a time when sportsmen and sportswomen can be present is a great way to make this process more transparent and accessible to the public,” Scarnati stated.

Senate Game & Fisheries Committee Chairman Rich Alloway also expressed support for the decision to move the location of the Elk License Drawing.

“The annual Elk License Drawing is a popular attraction for sportsmen from across the country, so the event should showcase all of the natural resources the area has to offer,” Alloway said. “Holding the drawing in Elk County not only provides an economic boost to the region, but also helps to highlight the conservation and habitat preservation efforts funded by the licensing program.”

According to Scarnati, the Elk License Drawing will be open to both residents and non-residents of the Commonwealth. Once the Game Commission Board of Commissioners finalizes the dates of this year’s elk hunting season and hunting allocations, hunters will be notified directly of the change.

“The decision to hold the Elk License Drawing where the elk are located is an exercise in good common sense,” Scarnati stated. “The Pennsylvania Game Commission has recently made some concerning choices, however this decision to move the drawing is clearly a step in the right direction and will better serve the interests of our sportsmen and sportswomen. I am encouraged by the initiative taken by the Game Commission is this instance and will continue to work with them to help restore the public’s trust in the Agency.”

Scarnati, a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1190, explained that the legislation makes important changes to enhance Pennsylvania’s elk program and provide for greater economic development and regional tourism benefits.

According to Scarnati, the legislation reauthorizes the Elk License Auction Program that expired in 2013, requires that the annual elk license lottery drawing take place in Benezette during the Elk Country Alliance Festival and creates an additional elk license category to be raffled by the Keystone Elk Country Alliance. The new license category created by the legislation will raise funds for the elk habitat and local conservation programs.

“Senate Bill 1190 takes a significant step to ensure that our local area receives benefits of the Elk Hunting License Program,” Scarnati said. “Year after year, hundreds of thousands of visitors come to our region for the elk and to experience the beauty of the Pennsylvania Wilds. It is important that the areas of our state that host the elk continue to see economic growth and receive support for conservation efforts.”

Scarnati was the chief proponent for relocation of the annual elk license drawing to Benezette.

“Moving the location of the elk license lottery drawing from Harrisburg to Benezette will serve as a positive way of furthering regional tourism,” Scarnati said. “Having this annual event in the local area makes sense since the licenses apply within our region.”

Pennsylvania’s elk range covers approximately 835 square miles in parts of Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Clinton and Potter counties. Currently the herd consists of more than 800 elk.

Evening Wildlife Series
Chapman State Park with JCC Warren
All classes held from 6 – 8pm at the Park
Register at 814-723-3577

Build Your Own Bat House – October 30
Learn about the decline of PA’s bats and how putting up bat boxes can be beneficial. Join us to build your own bat box during this hands on-class.

Backyard Bird Habitat – November 6
Explore the fundamentals for creating a bird habitat in your own backyard. Learn about the birds that stick around for winter and make a bird feeder to take home.

Fishing Clinic— November 13
Learn about the types of fish that live in Chapman Lake and hopefully catch a few. Bait and poles will be provided. No fishing license required during the program. Participants will receive a bag of fishing information.

The 805-acre Park is located in Clarendon, about 20 minutes south of Warren, PA. The Park is adjacent to state game lands and the Allegheny National Forest and is home to the 68 acre Chapman Lake.

E-Commerce Workshop
Tuesday, November 19 from 1 – 3pm @JCC Warren Center
Learn about the different e-commerce systems available, what it takes to get an online shop up and running, and price points of e-commerce solutions.

WHAT Work Ethic?!
Generations in the Workplace
Susan Hileman, RED Hat Communications
Have you ever heard, “I can’t believe it…He left for lunch and just didn’t come back!” – Interviewing, on-boarding and training costs time and money! Are you looking for dependable, productive employees? This interactive workshop will provide a clearer understanding about the specific issues you have to overcome and share proven best practices to impact your bottom line!
Tuesday, November 19, 3 – 6pm at JCC Warren Center, 589 Hospital Dr. OR Thursday, November 21, 3 – 6pm at 155 West 8th St, Erie
Cost: $29. Call 814-723-3577 to register

The summer may be winding down, but you can still cool off at Chapman Lake for a few more weeks. The beach at Chapman State Park will remain open for swimming through Sunday, September 8, 2013. Swimming hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. Chapman’s beach operates under the open swim policy, no life guards are on duty. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Parents, please watch your children. The concession, operated by BEI, will be open through Labor Day, September 2. In addition to food and snacks the concession offers canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals on a daily basis.

For more information, please contact the park office at (814) 723- 0250.

Elk were gone from Pennsylvania for about 50 years at the time the Game Commission began efforts to reintroduce them to the state in 1913.

One-hundred years later, the state’s elk herd is the largest in the Northeast and restoring elk to Pennsylvania is considered one of the great accomplishments in wildlife conservation history.

And for those hoping in this anniversary year to participate in Pennsylvania’s annual elk hunt, there’s still time to enter your name in the drawing for licenses.

“Like so many other aspects of hunting, the elk hunt quickly has become a tradition here in Pennsylvania,” said Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. “But hunters need to enter the drawing soon if they’re hoping to take part in this year’s hunt.”

Applications can be submitted anywhere hunting licenses are sold, or online at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us. Perhaps the easiest way to submit an online application is by clicking on the “Enter Elk Drawing” icon on the website’s homepage.

Applicants must pay a $10.70 non-refundable application fee to be included in the drawing.

This year’s drawing provides a greater opportunity for hunters to obtain an elk license. The number of licenses to be allocated has been increased to 86, up from the 65 licenses issued in the 2012-13 season.

The drawing will be held on Friday, Sept. 13 in the auditorium at the Game Commission’s headquarters in Harrisburg.

Names will be drawn first for the 26 antlered licenses available, followed by the drawings for the 60 available antlerless licenses.

Individuals are not required to purchase a resident or nonresident general hunting license to apply for the drawing. However, if they are drawn for one of the elk licenses, hunters then will be required to purchase the appropriate resident or nonresident general hunting license and view the elk hunt orientation video produced by the Game Commission before being permitted to purchase the elk license. The elk license fees are $25 for residents and $250 for nonresidents.

There is no cap, or limit, for the number of licenses that may be awarded to nonresidents. Individuals who applied in each year from 2003 through 2012, but were not awarded an elk license, have 10 preference points heading into this year’s drawing if they submit an application this year, and will have their name entered into the drawing 11 times (10 preference points plus the point for this year’s application).

As part of the preference-point system established by the agency in 2003, consecutive applications are not required to maintain previously earned preference points, but those points can be activated only in years that a hunter submits an application. For instance, if a hunter has 10 preference points, but does not enter the 2012 drawing, he/she will not have any chances in the upcoming drawing. However, their preference points will remain on hold until they apply in a future drawing. Once a hunter is awarded an elk license – either an antlered or antlerless elk license – the hunter’s preference points will revert to zero.

Additionally, hunters who want to earn a preference point for this year, but know that they would not be able to participate in the elk hunting season if drawn, have the option of simply purchasing a preference point for $10.70. While they will not be included in the drawing for the 2013 elk licenses, they will continue to build their preference points.

Those applying for an elk license can choose either an antlered or antlerless elk license, or they may select either-sex on their application. For those who select “antlered only,” if they are drawn after the antlered licenses are allocated, they will not receive an elk license. For those who do receive an antlered elk license, they will not be permitted to re-apply for future elk hunting opportunities for five years. However, those who received an antlerless elk license in any of the previous hunts may submit an application this year.

Applicants also have the opportunity to identify their elk hunt zone preference, or they may select “NP” (no preference). If drawn and their preferred hunt zone is filled, applicants will be assigned a specific zone by the Game Commission.

The public drawing of applications to be awarded licenses will be webcast on Sept. 13. To view the drawing, a special icon will be posted online the morning of the public drawing for individuals to click on and watch the drawing.

Those who can neither attend nor watch the drawing can check the status of their applications online using PALS.

To access this information, go to the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage. Click on the “Purchase License Permit and or Application/Replace License and or Permit” option, which includes the ability to “Check on the status of any Lottery Application,” scroll down and click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page. At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the “Continue” button. Click on the appropriate residency status, which will display your current personal information. At the bottom of the page, choose the “Check on the status of any Lottery Application” button, and then hit “Continue.”

Details on the elk season and drawing are available on pages 86 to 88 of the 2013-14 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is provided to license buyers and may be viewed on the agency’s website.

By law, only one application is permitted per person per year, and the Pennsylvania Automated License System will prohibit an individual from submitting more than one application.

For those who want to participate in this year’s elk hunt, the first step is to get their applications submitted.

“Pennsylvania’s elk truly are something to be proud of, and in the 100th anniversary year of elk restoration in Pennsylvania, we are celebrating the herd’s success all year,” Roe said. “The hunt this fall also could be one for the ages, and anyone looking to take part needs to sign up soon.”

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists are seeking assistance from residents in a regional monitoring effort to collect bat maternity colony data this summer. This monitoring is especially important to measure bat mortalities caused by White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease that affects hibernating bats in Pennsylvania and other parts of the eastern United States.

“WNS primarily kills during the winter, but the true impact of WNS on bat populations cannot be determined using estimates from winter hibernacula alone,” said Nate Zalik, Game Commission wildlife biologist. “Pennsylvanians can help us more fully gauge the impact of WNS on bats by hosting a bat count this summer. We are especially urging people who have ever conducted a bat count for the Game Commission in the past to redo a count this year.”

To obtain applications and information on how to participate, visit the Game Commission’s website and put your cursor over “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, click on “Wildlife” in the drop-down menu, scroll down and choose “Pennsylvania Bats” in the Wild Mammals section, and then click on “Appalachian Bat Count.” Forms on the website guide interested participants through the steps of timing, conducting a survey and submitting their findings to the Game Commission. Scout groups, 4-H clubs, local environmental organizations, and individual homeowners can all participate in this important effort.

“Pennsylvania’s two most common bat species, the little brown bat and the big brown bat, use buildings as their summer roosts,” Zalik said. “Abandoned houses, barns, church steeples – and even currently-occupied structures – can provide a summer home to female bats and their young.

“Monitoring these ‘maternity colonies’ can give biologists a good idea of how bat populations in an area are doing from year to year. With the occurrence of WNS in Pennsylvania, monitoring these colonies is more important than ever.”

Zalik noted that the fieldwork isn’t difficult to do, and Pennsylvanians can play a huge role in helping the Game Commission get a better understanding of what is happening to bats this summer.

“We’re looking for some help, and we hope you’ll consider becoming part of the Appalachian Bat Count monitoring team,” Zalik said. “It’s a chance to make a difference for bats and to get involved in assessing the impact of WNS. Please consider lending a hand.”

For more information on WNS, visit the Game Commission’s website and put your cursor on “Wildlife” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, click on “Wildlife” in the drop-down menu, scroll down and choose “White-Nose Syndrome” in the Wildlife Disease section.